Returning Unused Clothes without a Receipt?

FuzzyMonkey · 14 March 2009 at 7:24PM

Can someone please advise where i stand as this is the first time i have ever encountered this.

I have a baby's coat that was bought for my son as a gift but it is the wrong size. It is brand new and still tagged with the price on, but i dont have the receipt.
So i took it back to the shop and explained my situation and asked if i could have a credit note because i didnt want to swap it for a suitable size due to the weather getting warmer it wouldnt get used and i would get another outfit instead.
They said yes and then said the credit note would be for what it is retailing at now (£5.99) and not the original price. Are they allowed to do this??
It was bought for £15.99 and the shop are telling me the price was reduced down to £7.99 and now on sale at £5.99.
They didnt even have any other sizes in stock so i couldnt of got a bigger size if i wanted to.
The manager was very rude and told me i could of stolen it or bought it at the reduced rate hoping to get the full price refunded (so you can imagine how shocked i was by these claims) He then said if i took the debit card in then he could trace the purchase and be able to credit the card back for the full price. Is this true?

I asked him for a copy of the terms and conditions of this so-called policy so i could see for myself that it was fact and he said he didnt have any as it isnt written down, (only faulty items policy was available on view)
Dont stores have to have these available to customers either in view or available on a leaflet?
Please advise as i feel really let down by this company

ojc77 · 14 March 2009 at 7:56PM

Hello - What he is saying is quite right and correct! Standard practice in shops where items have been reduced in sales.

He is being more than helpful by offering to track the sale down for you by the card originally paid with.

Can you not have a word with the person who bought it and ask for the receipt or a copy of the entry from their bank statement if that's not available?

Butlers1982 · 14 March 2009 at 8:50PM

but i dont have the receipt.

Why do you think they give receipts. . . . . proof of purchase.

The manager was very rude and told me i could of stolen it or bought it at the reduced rate hoping to get the full price refunded (so you can imagine how shocked i was by these claims

I dont really see why you would be shocked, he explained thats what could have happened, he didnt accuse you of doing so.

He then said if i took the debit card in then he could trace the purchase and be able to credit the card back for the full price. Is this true?

why cant you do this if it matters that much to you?

Halloway · 14 March 2009 at 9:25PM

FuzzyMonkey wrote: »

I asked him for a copy of the terms and conditions of this so-called policy so i could see for myself that it was fact and he said he didnt have any as it isnt written down, (only faulty items policy was available on view)

Why would they? Shops are under no obligation whatsoever to give you a refund just because you have changed your mind. They are ony obliged to give you a refund if the item is faulty, mis-sold or 'not fit for purpose' by reason of manufacture or design.

It seems that the shop have dealt with you quite fairly and reasonably.

Hailz86 · 14 March 2009 at 10:07PM

Halloway, the OP didnt change her mind, the item was bought as a gift by someone else and was the wrong size

xx

BlueAngelCV · 14 March 2009 at 11:35PM

Yep, perfectly legal. Sensible too unlike some policys.

Colliefrog · 14 March 2009 at 11:46PM

He then said if i took the debit card in then he could trace the purchase and be able to credit the card back for the full price

If the item was a gift then the manager shouldn't be giving this advice. I certainly would give someone a refund onto someone elses card! We're actually not allowed to do that in my store, if a refund is going onto a credit or debit card then the cardholder has to be there to sign the refund reciept.

Meepster · 15 March 2009 at 12:14AM

TBQH you are lucky getting £5.99 back for it, you are not legally entitled to get a refund OR credit note, as the item isn't faulty.

I'd have said EXACTLY what the manager said to you, get over it and move on...

RobertoMoir · 15 March 2009 at 1:11AM

Hailz86 wrote: »

Halloway, the OP didnt change her mind, the item was bought as a gift by someone else and was the wrong size

xx

But that amounts to the same thing from the shop's POV doesn't it?

The goods aren't faulty, etc, etc...

Brooker_Dave · 15 March 2009 at 8:58AM

Hailz86 wrote: »

Halloway, the OP didnt change her mind, the item was bought as a gift by someone else and was the wrong size

The shop does not have to refund, why should it?

soolin · 15 March 2009 at 9:19AM

This is one of the most common misconceptions about consumer rights, the idea that we have a 'right' to change our mind and get a refund. The times I have stood in shops and heard the person in the queue in front of me say 'I know my rights and I want a refund as I have changed my mind'..um , no.